NBA Rank returns with less than one month until opening night as ESPN continues its countdown of the league’s top 100 players for 2026-27. After releasing Nos. 100-51 earlier this week, the rankings move into the top 50, with the final top 10 set to be unveiled Thursday, according to ESPN.
The 2026 edition features an overhauled expert panel. Previously, more than 100 ESPN insiders, reporters, editors and producers voted; this year seven ESPN staffers — Ben Golliver, Vincent Goodwill, Zach Kram, Bobby Marks, Dave McMenamin, André Snellings and Matt “Stats” Williams — combined their individual lists to produce the final top-100, ESPN said. Voting guidelines remained unchanged: panelists were asked to rank players based on predicted contributions for the 2026-27 regular season only.
No. 50 is Dylan Harper, a 20-year-old guard for the San Antonio Spurs listed as not ranked in 2025. ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill wrote that Harper was the youngest Spur and rose most during the Finals, projecting a significant Year 2 jump whether he starts or comes off the bench. Goodwill added Harper will earn more respect from officials after averaging 1.7 free-throw attempts in 69 games as a rookie and called him “an All-Star in the making.” According to ESPN Research, Harper had six playoff games with at least 15 points and 65% shooting, the most by a guard in NBA postseason history.
No. 49 is Lauri Markkanen, a 29-year-old forward with the Utah Jazz who was ranked 43rd in 2025. ESPN’s Ben Golliver described Markkanen as a scoring forward who can stretch the court and wrote that he has often been sidelined during Utah’s rebuilding, appearing in only one game in April across the past four seasons. Golliver noted Markkanen has nine seasons with at least 100 three-pointers, tied with Karl-Anthony Towns and Dirk Nowitzki for the most by a 7-footer, per ESPN Research.
No. 48 is Kon Knueppel, a 21-year-old guard for the Charlotte Hornets who was not ranked in 2025. ESPN’s Matt Williams called Knueppel’s debut season historic: he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind a player who made a rookie-, Hornets- and NBA season-high 273 three-pointers, Williams wrote. Williams added that LaMelo Ball assisted on 73 of Knueppel’s threes last season (the fourth-most by any passer-scorer pairing) and that Knueppel was the first rookie to lead the NBA in made three-pointers (272), according to ESPN Research.
No. 47 is Derrick White, a 32-year-old guard for the Boston Celtics who was ranked 26th in 2025. ESPN noted White slipped 21 spots after an inconsistent offensive season but remains regarded as one of the league’s best defenders; ESPN also reported that White shot under 40% from the field for the first time in his career.
